


Been a Long Time

by FagurFiskur



Series: 30 (more) cheesy tropes [23]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Matchmaking, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-04-07 16:01:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4269456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FagurFiskur/pseuds/FagurFiskur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"We're more... coworkers than friends," Sam admitted. At Dean's insulted huff, he added indignantly, "I've already tried setting you up with all my single friends! You didn't like any of them."</p><p>"Not my fault you've got boring friends," Dean muttered.</p><p>He got out of the Impala, slamming the door a little harder than necessary. He regretted it in the next moment, and gave her a small apologetic pat on the hood.</p><p>"They're not boring," Sam protested, "You just don't like anyone who isn't Cas."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Been a Long Time

**Author's Note:**

> 30 (more) cheesy tropes: #18 Matchmaking

Dean was going to kill his brother.

"-and the jury found him innocent, of course." Brady concluded his story with a smug grin and a sip of his wine. "But then, that's just Tuesday for me."

Somehow, Sam had convinced Dean to let him set him up on another date. It was the fourth one this month, and the worst so far. Brady Johnson, lawyer and alleged muscle car aficionado, though Dean had yet to hear him talk about anything that wasn't his job. And he'd been talking  _a lot_. Dean had barely gotten two words in edgewise.

"That's... great," Dean said, not really caring enough to muster up a more enthusiastic response.

"I don't know about that," Brady said, all false modesty. "So what about you? Sam tells me you teach. University?"

"Kindergarten," Dean corrected.

What little interest Brady had for him seemed to evaporate before his eyes, and Dean felt his stomach drop. This wasn't anything new; he'd gotten plenty of condescending looks from Sam's high class lawyer friends when they found out he was a kindergarten teacher. He'd just thought that Sam would know better than to set him up with someone like that. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Well." Brady cleared his throat. "I'm sure that's fine, too."

Dean was going to kill his brother.

\---

"You didn't like him?"

"Dude." Dean scoffed, pulling over in the parking lot across from his apartment building. He'd managed to control the urge to call Sam and bitch at him for all of fifteen minutes after the date ended. "He's a  _jackass_. Why are you friends with him?"

"We're more... coworkers than friends," Sam admitted. At Dean's insulted huff, he added indignantly, "I've already tried setting you up with all my single friends! You didn't like any of them."

"Not my fault you've got boring friends," Dean muttered.

He got out of the Impala, slamming the door a little harder than necessary. He regretted it in the next moment, and gave her a small apologetic pat on the hood.

"They're not boring," Sam protested, "You just don't like anyone who isn't Cas."

Dean felt his heart drop into his stomach. "Shut up."

"Sorry," Sam said. "I didn't mean it like... it's just, it's been four months. And you agreed you needed to move on."

Dean made a noncommittal grunt, turning his attention to fishing the keys to his apartment out of his pocket rather than coming up with an actual answer. Cas was the last thing he wanted to talk about right now. Or ever.

But obviously, Sam didn't feel the same way. "Guy was kind a douchebag anyway, right? Who leaves town the night after their best friend tells them they're in love with them?"

"Someone who was already planning on leaving," Dean reminded Sam, irritated, face growing hot at the reminder of what an idiot he'd been.

Yeah, Cas leaving had hurt like a bitch, but Dean had still been the one in the wrong. He'd been the one to spring this huge confession on Cas when he knew nothing could come out of it. When he knew Cas' family needed him, more than Dean did. Hell, he hadn't even bothered to ask him to stay.

"Still," Sam said. He was quiet for a couple of moments. "Listen, I know you didn't like Brady, but I've got someone else-"

"No," Dean cut in. "No more lawyers."

"I wasn't gonna suggest another lawyer," Sam protested, though Dean could tell he was lying. "It's... someone from my gym!"

Dean sighed. He got in the elevator, which was thankfully empty, leaning his shoulder against the doors after they'd closed. "Talk to me after the weekend."

"Dean-"

"Two days, Sammy, that's all I'm asking for."

"Fine," Sam said. "But then you'd better do something else than just mope around your apartment."

"When do I ever mope?"

\---

As far as Dean was concerned, watching Star Trek in his underwear didn't count as moping. It wasn't like he was going through the last week he'd had with Cas over and over in his head, thinking of all the things he could have done different. He'd only done that twice.

So far. Today.

But Dean refused to feel guilty about that, especially when Sam called on Saturday afternoon, not even able to wait one day before breaking his promise.

"Dude, seriously-"

"Trust me," Sam cut in. "If this one doesn't stick, I won't try to set you up again."

Dean straightened in his seat. "You'd better mean that."

"Just go to the Roadhouse tonight, at eight. You'll know him when you see him."

Sam hung up before Dean had the chance to ask any questions. He stared at the phone, bemused, and more than a little curious despite himself. Who had Sam picked this time? Why was he so sure that Dean would want him? And it was someone who Dean  _knew_?

Dean put the phone down, and tried to tell himself that it was probably no one special. Sam had the worst taste in men.

\---

Still, when eight o'clock rolled around, Dean found himself even more curious. Excited, even, which was a first for him. He'd never been excited for one of Sam's dates, even at the beginning before he realized that Sam had no idea what the hell he was doing.

He still showed up ten minutes late, because he had an image to maintain. Looking around, he couldn't spot anyone familiar except Jo, who was standing behind the bar.

"Looking for your date?" she asked as he approached her. "He just went to the bathroom."

Dean frowned. "You know who it is?"

Jo mimed zipping her lips shut, and went to take an order from another costumer. Dean watched her go, a nervous knot forming in his stomach. He should have just stayed at home, should never have let Sam meddle in his love life, should just make his peace with being alone already.

A hand on his shoulder startled him from his depressing train of thought. Dean turned around, everything freezing for an instant as his eyes met with startling blue ones.

_Cas was his date._

"Hello, Dean," Cas said, voice sounding just like Dean remembered it.

He was smiling, small, hesitant, but undeniably happy. He was still holding onto Dean's shoulder, too, grip tight like he wanted to touch Dean more but was restraining himself. Dean glanced down at it, and Cas removed it, clearly self-conscious.

"You- you're back," Dean finally managed. His heart was pounding in his throat and he knew he must be staring, but he couldn't stop himself. "When..."

"This morning," Cas admitted. "I thought about calling you, but I wasn't sure you would pick up, so I called Sam instead."

Dean blushed. Cas had tried calling him several times, just after he'd left, but like a big sulky baby, Dean hadn't answered once. He'd just been afraid that if he did talk to Cas, he would beg him to come back, and he'd figured that wasn't going to happen.

Except now Cas  _was_ back, and Dean's world had been turned on its head.

"I wanted to come back as soon as I left," Cas said. "I never wanted to leave in the first place, actually. Especially not after we slept together."

A small, mortifying noise escaped Dean's throat at the reminder.

"But my family had me convinced that they needed me," Cas continued. "And you never asked me to stay, so I wasn't sure if you..."

"I wanted you to," Dean said, the words coming easier than he expected. It was an enormous relief to say it out loud, like getting rid of a lump that had been in his throat for months.

Cas' eyes widened slightly at Dean's admission. He licked his lips, the movement slow, almost deliberate, and then he was reaching for Dean's hand, hesitantly grabbing it and lacing their fingers together. Dean gripped Cas' hand tightly in return, grateful that Cas seemed to understand and he didn't need to say anything else.

Dean flinched as something occurred to him. "So you, uh, talked to Sam?"

"Yes," Cas said, expression solemn. "After some shouting he did agree to listen to my reasons for leaving."

"Sorry about that," Dean muttered.

Cas shook his head. "I'm glad you have someone to get angry on your behalf. And to set you up on dates."

Dean snorted. "Yeah, but he's terrible it."

"Would it be selfish of me to say that I'm glad for that too?"

Dean's heart fluttered in his chest, and he couldn't help the satisfied smile that spread across his face. Cas' own smile grew wider.

"He's gotten better, though," Dean added, squeezing Cas' hand so there was no missing his meaning. "Might even call this one a success."


End file.
